Compulsory Guide for Iran
 

I contacted an agency today to apply for an Iranian visa and I was told that there is a rule in place that those entering Iran with their own vehicle must have a guide throughout their entire jouney.

I can't see this as being a fun, affordable or viable option.

This is the first time I've heard of the rule besides the rule for US citizens. Can anyone tell me if this rule is definite or flexible and if there is any resource I can consult on this for the latest information?

I don't know personally but if you contact xxxxxxxxx he will let you know latest information about travel to Iran.
Which agency told you ?Maybe i can ask and post here

Same here, emailed an agent in Shiraz and told a guide is needed because of the elections. The rule will be lifted but when is a guess !!

Which direction are you going and when ?

Paul

we've progressed through our visa application to the point where we now have an authorisation code, and will b taking this in to the mumbai embassy on monday. we've told our agency that we are on a bike, but they have not made any mention of any need for guides etc

i would suggest that you query the need for a guide because of the elections, as these occurred in june 2013

Elections occurred in June 2013.

It was Persian Voyages. I was hoping to be in Iran around May/April this year coming from Turkey with the aim of flying the bike out from Iran to Malaysia. Hopefully the rule will be lifted - but if it's not I'll need to take Iran off the carnet list to reduce the premium when I apply.

Hi all,

any news about if the guide is required?
or is the ban lifted, as the elections were last year?

Greets

Not sure about the rule but try a different agency to see if you get the same response or not?

One other agency and xxxxxxxxxx both said there is no requirement for a guide. The agency said you have to have a fixed itinerary but guides are only for US citizens

I was just going to start a thread on this, when I see this thread already running.

As a background, I have travelled to Iran with my car three times, and never had anything like this at the application stage.

I just went onto the website of Touran Zamin – Iran Tour and Travel Co. – Iranian Tour and Visa. They were the agency I used on the second and third trips I made to Iran by car:

IMPORTANT: According to recent Regulations of Foreign Affair, If you travel to Iran with private vehicle (car/motorcycle/bike), you need to inform us in advance to get the permission for your Vehicle, There may be an authorized guide appointed for accompanying you in this case. Not reporting this may cause problems like entry refusal or deportation.

Seems like there is some truth to this. I wonder if they really will start to refuse you entry with a car?

I've seen a lot of Iran, so the country is mostly on my itinerary to connect others places. It's also the only country I will need a carnet for, so if this comes true, I will scrap these plans, given that UK registered car owners are now forced into dealing with the shameless racketeering of RAC carnets...

I guess we just have to sit and watch this one?

danielsprague - I've just been told by key2persia that although I don't need a guide I need to submit a day-to-day itinerary for the trip in order to get a visa. Is this a normal requirement in your experience? Even without the cost of having a guide, the problems faced by keeping to a tight schedule with my own (often unreliable) bike really put me off going to Iran.

Combined with the costs of aquiring an RAC carnet it makes the trip prohibitively expensive and basically rules out the possibility of me going. Key2persia did say you can get a carnet at the border. This isn't the first time I've heard of an Iranian specific carnet but do you know any details? It seems everyone has a different idea about the law there.

I submitted itineraries previously, but they were fabricated and I just put hotels down from a guidebook. If you do this, there is no reason for it being more expensive.

Touranzamin came back to me and said that there would not be a guide, it would just involve extra paperwork for them. Knowing Iranian borders, each seem to have different rules. I was once given a transit document (despite having a tourist visa) that I had to get stamped at every point along a pre-determined 15 day route. I just binned the thing and exited 3 months later without a problem.

Yes, you can do it without a carnet, you have to pay for some Iranian customs document. A friend of mine did this at the Mirjaveh border and paid $400 for it. Husseinthebiker (if I have spelt his name correctly) advertises on the ThornTree that he can assist in getting one of these customs documents at the Turkish, Azerbaijani and Turkmenistan borders. There may be issues with how long the import document is valid for, best contact Hussein about this.

I would definitely think twice about skipping Iran, it is a fascinating country quite unlike any other in my opinion.

Yes, you can do it without Carnet as i mentioned on some threads too,and of course i don't know details, but the best is to contact Hossein and read about his Carnet service here xxxxxxxx

Who knows what is ThornTree? :helpsmilie:

The thorntree is an online travel forum for all modes of travel, predominantly backpacking. It was part of the Lonely Planet website, but I believe it was bought by the BBC, the official media organ of the British regime. Since then, it has gone majorly downhill with less activity and much heavier censoring. :(

Still useful however. Find it at:

Thorn Tree travel forum - Lonely Planet

I suggested on this thread
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...raveling-74575

that because Soleyman keeps recommending Hossein's services in practically every message, that he may be Hossein,

and mysteriously hours after I post, the thread he started is pulled.

Now not only does Hossein have very mixed reviews... his 'friends'/or himself does not like being questioned. Can we have some honesty, and stop 'selling your products' unless going through the correct procedure on this forum?